‘Police maintained sanctity, didn’t enter Gurudwara…’ Punjab IGP on Amritpal’s arrest

Chandigarh [India], April 23 (ANI): Narrating the sequence leading upto to the arrest of 'Waris Punjab De' chief, Punjab's Inspector General of Police (IGP), Headquarters, Sukhchain Singh Gill on Sunday said that the police did not enter Gurudwara Sahib to maintain its sanctity.
Amritpal Singh was arrested today morning and will be shifted to Dibrugarh, Assam.
Amritpal has been on the run since March 18, the day Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt for him.
Addressing a press conference, Gill said that police arrested the 'Waris Punjab De' chief after he was surrounded from all sides and had no way out.
"...Amritpal Singh has been arrested by Punjab Police at around 6.45 am today morning in village Rode. A joint operation was conducted by Amritsar Police and Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police. He was located in village Rode based on operational inputs by Punjab Police. To maintain sanctity, the Police didn't enter Gurudwara Sahib. He has been taken to Dibrugarh under NSA...," he said.
"It is very clear that we have arrested him, he was surrounded from all sides and had no way to escape. Whatever he said inside the Gurudwara Sahib it is not right to comment on it," he added.
He said that National Security Act (NSA) warrants were issued against Amritpal Singh and those warrants have been executed this morning.
"NSA warrants were issued against Amritpal Singh and those warrants have been executed today morning...Amritpal Singh has been arrested by Punjab Police around 6.45 am today morning in the village Rode," said Sukhchain Singh Gill.
"Amritpal Singh has been sent to Dibrugarh, Assam and further action will be taken as per law and order in the case. A warning has been issued against disturbing elements trying to jeopardise the peace and harmony of the state," he added.
Hours before his arrest, 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh addressed the devotees this morning in Rodewal Gurudwara in Punjab's Moga.
"Amritpal Singh came to the Rodewal Gurudwara on Saturday night. He himself informed the police about his presence and that he will surrender this morning at 7 am," claimed Singh Sahib Giani Jasbir Singh Rode of Rodewal Gurudwara in Moga, while speaking to ANI over phone.
The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal's supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, demanding the release of one of his aides, Lovepreet Toofan.
Amritpal was then declared a fugitive by the police.
The Punjab Police had issued a lookout circular (LOC) and non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the 'Waris Punjab De' chief about a month ago.
His associates were earlier arrested from various parts of the state.
Two aides of the radical preacher and Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh were arrested at Mohali in Punjab, in a joint operation by Punjab and Delhi Police on April 18.
On April 15, Punjab Police arrested his close aide Joga Singh from Sirhind in the Fatehgarh Sahib district.
Another close aid of the pro khalistani leader, Papalpreet Singh was arrested on April 10, in an operation conducted by Punjab Police and its counter-intelligence unit. (ANI)